A role for the GCC-box in jasmonate-mediated activation of the PDF1.2 gene of Arabidopsis

Arabidopsis thaliana plant defensin AtPDF1.1 is involved in the plant response to biotic stress

*Previously, it was shown that the Arabidopsis thaliana plant defensins AtPDF1.1 (At1g75830) and AtPDF1.2a (At5g44420) exert in vitro antimicrobial properties and that their corresponding genes are expressed in seeds and induced in leaves upon pathogen attack, respectively. *In this study, the expression profile of both AtPDF1.1 and AtPDF1.2a is analysed in wild-type plants upon different stress-related treatments and the effect of modulation of their expression in transgenic plants is examined in both host and nonhost resistance. *AtPDF1.1, which was originally considered to be seed-specific, is demonstrated to be locally induced in leaves upon fungal attack and exhibits an expression profile distinct from that of AtPDF1.2a, a gene frequently used as marker for the ethylene/jasmonate-mediated signaling pathway. Transgenic plants with modulated AtPDF1.1 or AtPDF1.2a gene expression show no altered phenotype upon Botrytis cinerea inoculation. However, constitutive overexpression of AtPDF1.1 in A. thaliana leads to a reduction in symptoms caused by the nonhost Cercospora beticola causing non-spreading spots on A. thaliana leaves. *These results indicate that AtPDF1.1 and AtPDF1.2a clearly differ regarding their expression profile and functionality in planta. It emphasizes the additional level of complexity and fine-tuning within the highly redundant plant defensin genes in A. thaliana.

Necrotroph attacks on plants: wanton destruction or covert extortion?

Necrotrophic pathogens cause major pre- and post-harvest diseases in numerous agronomic and horticultural crops inflicting significant economic losses. In contrast to biotrophs, obligate plant parasites that infect and feed on living cells, necrotrophs promote the destruction of host cells to feed on their contents. This difference underpins the divergent pathogenesis strategies and plant immune responses to biotrophic and necrotrophic infections. This chapter focuses on Arabidopsis immunity to necrotrophic pathogens. The strategies of infection, virulence and suppression of host defenses recruited by necrotrophs and the variation in host resistance mechanisms are highlighted. The multiplicity of intraspecific virulence factors and species diversity in necrotrophic organisms corresponds to variations in host resistance strategies. Resistance to host-specific necrotophs is monogenic whereas defense against broad host necrotrophs is complex, requiring the involvement of many genes and pathways for full resistance. Mechanisms and components of immunity such as the role of plant hormones, secondary metabolites, and pathogenesis proteins are presented. We will discuss the current state of knowledge of Arabidopsis immune responses to necrotrophic pathogens, the interactions of these responses with other defense pathways, and contemplate on the directions of future research.

Identification and application of a rice senescence-associated promoter

SAG39 is a rice (Oryza sativa) gene that encodes a cysteine protease. SAG39 shares 55% homology with the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) senescence-associated protein SAG12. The promoter for SAG39 (P(SAG39)) was isolated, and SAG39 expression was determined to be relatively low in mature leaves, while not expressed in the endosperm. SAG39 mRNA levels increased as senescence progressed, with maximum accumulation of transcripts at late senescence stages. Gel retardation assays indicated that two cis-acting elements in P(SAG39), HBOXCONSENSUSPVCHS and WRKY71OS, responded to leaf senescence. To test if P(SAG39) could be useful for increasing rice yields by increasing cytokinin content and delaying senescence, homozygous transgenic plants were obtained by linking P(SAG39) to the ipt gene and introducing it into Zhonghua 11. The chlorophyll level of the flag leaf was used to monitor senescence, confirming the stay-green phenotype in P(SAG39):ipt transgenic rice versus wild-type plants. Changes in the cytokinin content led to early flowering and a greater number of emerged panicles 70 d after germination in the transgenic rice. Measurements of sugar and nitrogen contents in flag leaves demonstrated a transition in the source-sink relationship in transgenic plants triggered at the onset of leaf senescence, with the nitrogen content decreasing more slowly, while sugars were removed more rapidly than in wild-type plants. The importance of these changes to rice physiology, yield, and early maturation will be discussed.

Transcriptional regulation of the rice arginine decarboxylase (Adc1) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (Samdc) genes by methyl jasmonate

We investigated the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJa) treatment on the expression of two genes in the rice polyamine biosynthesis pathway and on the polyamine content in wild type plants and transgenic rice plants expressing a Datura stramonium (Ds) Adc cDNA, the latter accumulating up to three-fold the normal level of putrescine. Exogenous MeJa transiently inhibited the expression of OsAdc1, OsSamdc and Spermidine synthase (OsSpds) genes in the polyamine biosynthesis pathway, probably through transcriptional repression. There was also a similar negative impact on the DsAdc transgene in transgenic plants, even though a constitutive promoter was used to drive transgene expression. The free putrescine content was reduced significantly in the leaves of both wild type and transgenic plants in response to MeJa, although the magnitude of the effect was greater in wild type plants. We discuss our findings with respect to the previously proposed threshold model of polyamine metabolism in plants subjected to abiotic stress.

Plant mediator: mediating the jasmonate response

Jasmonate (JA) signaling plays an important role in regulating both plant defense and development. We have recently reported that the phytochrome and flowering time1 (PFT1) gene, which encodes the mediator25 subunit of the plant Mediator complex, is a key regulator of JA regulated transcription. We showed that the pft1 mutant had attenuated expression of a wide range of JA responsive genes and altered resistance to fungal pathogens. Here we examine the position of PFT1/MED25 within the JA pathway and discuss its role in "mediating" the JA response.

Sugarcane DIRIGENT and O-methyltransferase promoters confer stem-regulated gene expression in diverse monocots

Transcription profiling analysis identified Saccharum hybrid DIRIGENT (SHDIR16) and Omicron-Methyltransferase (SHOMT), putative defense and fiber biosynthesis-related genes that are highly expressed in the stem of sugarcane, a major sucrose accumulator and biomass producer. Promoters (Pro) of these genes were isolated and fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. Transient and stable transgene expression analyses showed that both Pro( DIR16 ):GUS and Pro( OMT ):GUS retain the expression characteristics of their respective endogenous genes in sugarcane and function in orthologous monocot species, including rice, maize and sorghum. Furthermore, both promoters conferred stem-regulated expression, which was further enhanced in the stem and induced in the leaf and root by salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate, key regulators of biotic and abiotic stresses. Pro( DIR16 ) and Pro( OMT ) will enable functional gene analysis in monocots, and will facilitate engineering monocots for improved carbon metabolism, enhanced stress tolerance and bioenergy production.

Involvement of abscisic acid in the coordinated regulation of a stress-inducible hexose transporter (VvHT5) and a cell wall invertase in grapevine in response to biotrophic fungal infection

Biotrophic fungal and oomycete pathogens alter carbohydrate metabolism in infected host tissues. Symptoms such as elevated soluble carbohydrate concentrations and increased invertase activity suggest that a pathogen-induced carbohydrate sink is established. To identify pathogen-induced regulators of carbohydrate sink strength, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure transcript levels of invertase and hexose transporter genes in biotrophic pathogen-infected grapevine (Vitis vinifera) leaves. The hexose transporter VvHT5 was highly induced in coordination with the cell wall invertase gene VvcwINV by powdery and downy mildew infection. However, similar responses were also observed in response to wounding, suggesting that this is a generalized response to stress. Analysis of the VvHT5 promoter region indicated the presence of multiple abscisic acid (ABA) response elements, suggesting a role for ABA in the transition from source to sink under stress conditions. ABA treatment of grape leaves was found to reproduce the same gene-specific transcriptional changes as observed under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Furthermore, the key regulatory ABA biosynthetic gene, VvNCED1, was activated under these same stress conditions. VvHT5 promoter::beta-glucuronidase-directed expression in transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) was activated by infection with powdery mildew and by ABA treatment, and the expression was closely associated with vascular tissue adjacent to infected regions. Unlike VvHT1 and VvHT3, which appear to be predominantly involved in hexose transport in developing leaves and berries, VvHT5 appears to have a specific role in enhancing sink strength under stress conditions, and this is controlled through ABA. Our data suggest a central role for ABA in the regulation of VvcwINV and VvHT5 expression during the transition from source to sink in response to infection by biotrophic pathogens.

Identification of genes differentially expressed in cauliflower associated with resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Black rot, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Pammel) Dowson (Xcc), is one of the most damaging diseases of cauliflower and other crucifers. In order to investigate the molecular resistance mechanisms and to find the genes related to black rot resistance in cauliflower, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library was constructed using resistant line C712 and its susceptible near-isogenic line C731 as tester and driver, respectively. A total of 280 clones were obtained from the library by reverse northern blotting. Sequencing analysis and homology searching showed that these clones represent 202 unique sequences. The library included many defense/disease-resistant related genes, such as plant defensin gene PDF1.2, lipid transfer protein, thioredoxin h. Gene expression profiles of 12 genes corresponding to different functional categories were monitored by real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that the expression induction of these genes in the susceptible line C712 in response to Xcc was quicker and more intense, while in C731 the reaction was delayed and limited. Our results imply that these up-regulated genes might be involved in cauliflower responses against Xcc infection. Information obtained from this study could be used to understand the molecular mechanisms of disease response in cauliflower under Xcc stress.

Ethylene signalling and ethylene-targeted transcription factors are required to balance beneficial and nonbeneficial traits in the symbiosis between the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica and Arabidopsis thaliana

*The endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica colonizes the roots of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and promotes its growth and seed production. The fungus can be cultivated in axenic culture without a host, and therefore this is an excellent system to investigate plant-fungus symbiosis. *The growth of etr1, ein2 and ein3/eil1 mutant plants was not promoted or even inhibited by the fungus; the plants produced less seeds and the roots were more colonized compared with the wild-type. This correlates with a mild activation of defence responses. The overexpression of ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 constitutively activated defence responses, strongly reduced root colonization and abolished the benefits for the plants. *Piriformospora indica-mediated stimulation of growth and seed yield was not affected by jasmonic acid, and jasmonic acid-responsive promoter beta-glucuronidase gene constructs did not respond to the fungus in Arabidopsis roots. *We propose that ethylene signalling components and ethylene-targeted transcription factors are required to balance beneficial and nonbeneficial traits in the symbiosis. The results show that the restriction of fungal growth by ethylene signalling components is required for the beneficial interaction between the two symbionts.

Differential expression of CHS7 and CHS8 genes in soybean

Chalcone synthase (CHS) catalyzes the first reaction specific for flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis. The soybean genome consists of nine copies of CHS genes (CHS1-CHS9) and a duplicate copy of CHS1. Even though the soybean CHS gene family members share a high degree of sequence similarity, they play different roles during plant development or in response to environmental stimuli. Our previous work on the comparison of a global gene expression in two soybean cultivars that differ in the level of total isoflavonoid accumulation has denoted the involvement of CHS7 and CHS8 genes in isoflavonoid synthesis. We have extended our effort to understand expression patterns of these two genes in soybean and in transgenic Arabidopsis. Promoter regions of CHS7 and CHS8 genes were isolated and in silico analysis performed to investigate potential transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). The TFBSs were verified by DNase I footprint analysis. Some unique and several common TFBSs were identified in CHS7 and CHS8 promoters. We cloned beta-glucuronidase (GUS) under CHS7 and CHS8 promoters and monitored the tissue-specific GUS expression in transformed Arabidopsis. Differential GUS activity was observed in young leaves, roots, and mature pod walls of transgenic CHS7 promoter-GUS and CHS8 promoter-GUS plants. The tissue-specific expression patterns of CHS7 and CHS8 genes were determined in soybean by quantitative RT-PCR. Both CHS7 and CHS8 genes were expressed at higher levels in roots; however, overall expression pattern of these genes varied in different tissues. The results suggest that the structural diversity within CHS7 and CHS8 promoters may lead into differential activation of these genes by different inducers as well as developmental stage- and tissue-specific differences in gene expression.

Isolation and functional analysis of the Catharanthus roseus deacetylvindoline-4-O-acetyltransferase gene promoter

Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) produces many therapeutically valuable terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs), such as vinblastine and vincristine derived from the monomers vindoline and catharanthine. Deacetylvindoline-4-O-acetyltransferase (DAT) is a key enzyme for the terminal step of vindoline biosynthesis. In this research, the DAT gene promoter was cloned, sequenced, and analyzed. An approximately 1,773 bp genomic DNA fragment of DAT promoter was obtained. Sequence analysis revealed that DAT promoter contained several potential regulatory elements which were involved in the regulation of gene expression. To investigate its function, the promoter fragments with 5' deletions and gain-of-function deletions were fused to GUS reporter gene, and their expressions were analyzed by transient expression in C. roseus cell suspensions. The regulatory activity of DAT promoter was identified with fluorescence quantitative assays. Three TGACG motifs and one inverted motif (CGTCA) between -808 and -1,086 bp in the DAT promoter were found to be involved in methyljasmonate signal transduction pathway.

Involvement of two rice ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3-LIKE genes in wound signaling

Ethylene and jasmonic acid (JA) have been proposed as key compounds for wound signaling in plants. In Arabidopsis, ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3), which is an essential transcription factor for ethylene signaling, is regulated at the post-transcriptional level, while transcriptional regulation of EIN3 or EIN3-LIKE (EIL) genes has not been well documented. The expression of 6 rice EIL genes (OsEIL1-6) was analyzed and only OsEIL1 and 2 were found to be wound-inducible EIL. OsEIL2 was also induced by JA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that recombinant OsEIL1 and 2 proteins bound to specific DNA sequences that are recognized by a wound-inducible tobacco EIL. Accumulation of OsEIL1 and 2 transcripts reached a maximum at 1 and 0.5 h after wounding, respectively, and the corresponding DNA-binding activity in nuclear extracts of rice leaves was increased at 1 h after wounding. Candidates for OsEIL-target genes were selected by microarray analysis of wounded rice and by promoter sequence analyses of wound-inducible genes identified by microarray analysis. In OsEIL1- and/or 2-suppressed rice plants, the expression of at least four of 18 candidate genes analyzed was down-regulated. These results indicate the importance of inducible OsEILs in wound signaling in rice.

Ethylene and cold participate in the regulation of LeCBF1 gene expression in postharvest tomato fruits

C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factor (CBF) is a transcription factor regulating cold response in plants, of which little is known in fruits. We showed a double-peak expression pattern of Lycopersicon esculentum putative transcriptional activator CBF1 (LeCBF1) in mature green fruit. The peaks appeared at 2 and 16 h after subjection to cold storage (2 degrees C). The second peak was coincident with, and thus caused by a peak in endogenous ethylene production. We showed that LeCBF1 expression was regulated by exogenous ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene, and was not expressed without cold induction. LeCBF1 expression was different in the five maturation stages of fruits, but expression peaked at 2 h at all stages.

Regulation of gene expression by jasmonate hormones

Plants possess inducible defense systems to oppose attack by pathogens and herbivores. Jasmonates are important signaling molecules produced by plants which regulate in positive or negative crosstalk with ethylene subsets of genes involved in defense against necrotrophic microorganisms or herbivorous insects, respectively. This review presents an overview of promoter sequences and transcription factors involved in jasmonate-responsive gene expression with the most important components summarized here. Frequently occurring jasmonate-responsive promoter sequences are the GCC motif, which is commonly found in promoters activated synergistically by jasmonate and ethylene, and the G-box, which is commonly found in promoters activated by jasmonates and repressed by ethylene. Important transcription factors conferring jasmonate-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis are ORA59 and AtMYC2. ORA59 interacts with the GCC motif and controls the expression of genes that are synergistically induced by jasmonates and ethylene, whereas AtMYC2 interacts with the G-box and related sequences, and controls genes activated by jasmonate alone. AtMYC2 can interact with JAZ proteins, which are hypothesized to act as repressors. The bioactive jasmonate (+)-7-iso-JA-l-Ile promotes the interaction between the ubiquitin ligase complex SCF(COI1) and JAZ proteins, resulting in their degradation by the 26S proteasome, thereby liberating AtMYC2 from repression according to the prevailing model. Literature up to 1 June 2009 was used for this review.

Molecular diversity and gene expression of cotton ERF transcription factors reveal that group IXa members are responsive to jasmonate, ethylene and Xanthomonas

Several ethylene-response factor (ERF) transcription factors are believed to play a crucial role in the activation of plant defence responses, but little is known about the relationships between the diversity of this family and the functions of groups or individual ERFs in this process. In this study, 200 ERF genes from the unigene cotton database were identified. Conserved amino acid residues and phylogeny reconstruction using the AP2 conserved domain suggest that the classification into 10 major groups used for Arabidopsis and rice is applicable to the cotton ERF family. Based on in silico studies, we predict that group IX ERF genes in cotton are involved in jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET) and pathogen responses. To test this hypothesis, we analysed the transcript profiles of the group IXa subfamily in the regulation of specific resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pathovar malvacearum. The expression of four members of group IXa was induced on challenge with X. campestris pv. malvacearum. Furthermore, the expression of several ERF genes of group IXa was induced synergistically by JA in combination with ET, suggesting that the encoded ERF proteins may play key roles in the integration of both signals to activate JA- and ET-dependent responses.

Information flow during gene activation by signaling molecules: ethylene transduction in Arabidopsis cells as a study system

BACKGROUND

We study root cells from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the communication channel conformed by the ethylene signal transduction pathway. A basic equation taken from our previous work relates the probability of expression of the gene ERF1 to the concentration of ethylene.

RESULTS

The above equation is used to compute the Shannon entropy (H) or degree of uncertainty that the genetic machinery has during the decoding of the message encoded by the ethylene specific receptors embedded in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and transmitted into the nucleus by the ethylene signaling pathway. We show that the amount of information associated with the expression of the master gene ERF1 (Ethylene Response Factor 1) can be computed. Then we examine the system response to sinusoidal input signals with varying frequencies to determine if the cell can distinguish between different regimes of information flow from the environment. Our results demonstrate that the amount of information managed by the root cell can be correlated with the frequency of the input signal.

CONCLUSION

The ethylene signaling pathway cuts off very low and very high frequencies, allowing a window of frequency response in which the nucleus reads the incoming message as a sinusoidal input. Out of this window the nucleus reads the input message as an approximately non-varying one. From this frequency response analysis we estimate: a) the gain of the system during the synthesis of the protein ERF1 (approximately -5.6 dB); b) the rate of information transfer (0.003 bits) during the transport of each new ERF1 molecule into the nucleus and c) the time of synthesis of each new ERF1 molecule (approximately 21.3 s). Finally, we demonstrate that in the case of the system of a single master gene (ERF1) and a single slave gene (HLS1), the total Shannon entropy is completely determined by the uncertainty associated with the expression of the master gene. A second proposition shows that the Shannon entropy associated with the expression of the HLS1 gene determines the information content of the system that is related to the interaction of the antagonistic genes ARF1, 2 and HLS1.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the promoter for the multiple stress-inducible gene BjCHI1 from Brassica juncea

We have previously isolated a Brassica juncea cDNA encoding a novel chitinase BjCHI1 with two chitin-binding domains (Zhao and Chye in Plant Mol Biol 40:1009-1018, 1999). The expression of BjCHI1 was highly inducible by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, wounding, caterpillar feeding, and pathogenic fungal infection. These observations suggest that the promoter of BjCHI1 gene might contain specific cis-acting elements for stress responses. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of the BjCHI1 promoter. A 1,098 bp BjCHI1 genomic DNA fragment upstream of the ATG start codon was isolated by PCR walking and various constructs were made by fusing the BjCHI1 promoter or its derivatives to beta-glucuronidase reporter gene. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed that the BjCHI1 promoter responded to wounding and MeJA treatment, and to treatments with either NaCl or polyethyleneglycol (PEG 6000), indicating that the BjCHI1 promoter responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. A transient gene expression system of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was adopted for promoter deletion analysis, and the results showed that a 76 bp region from -695 to -620 in the BjCHI1 promoter was necessary for MeJA-responsive expression. Furthermore, removal of a conserved T/G-box (AACGTG) at -353 to -348 of the promoter greatly reduced the induction by MeJA. This is the first T/G-box element identified in a chitinase gene promoter. Gain-of-function analysis demonstrated that the cis-acting element present in the 76 bp region requires coupling with the T/G-box to confer full magnitude of BjCHI1 induction by MeJA.

Plant defensins--prospects for the biological functions and biotechnological properties

Plant defensins are a prominent family of cationic peptides in the plant kingdom. They are structurally and functionally related to defensins that have been previously characterized in mammals and insects. They present molecular masses between 5 and 7kDa and possess a pattern of eight conserved Cys residues. The three-dimensional structure of plant defensins is small and globular. It has three anti-parallel beta-sheets and one alpha-helix that is stabilized by a structural motif composed of disulfide bridges. This motif is found in other peptides with biological activity and is called the Cys stabilized alphabeta motif (CSalphabeta). Based on the growing knowledge on defensin structure, gene expression and regulation, and also their in vitro biological activity, it has become clear that plant defensins are complex and sophisticated peptides whose function extends beyond their role in defense of plants against microbial infection. This review discusses recent data and will present comprehensive information regarding the study of defensins.

Ecological modulation of plant defense via phytochrome control of jasmonate sensitivity

For plants, the tradeoff between resource investment in defense and increased growth to out-compete neighbors creates an allocation dilemma. How plants resolve this dilemma, at the mechanistic level, is unclear. We found that Arabidopsis plants produced an attenuated defense phenotype under conditions of crowding and when exposed to far-red (FR) radiation, a light signal that plants use to detect the proximity of neighbors via the photoreceptor phytochrome. This phenotype was detectable through standard bioassays that measured the growth of Spodoptera frugiperda caterpillars. Two possible explanations for the effect of FR are: (i) a simple by-product of the diversion of resources to competition, and (ii) a specific effect of phytochrome on defense signaling. The first possibility was ruled out by the fact that the auxin-deficient sav3 mutant, which fails to induce growth responses to FR, still responded to FR with an attenuated defense phenotype. In support of the second hypothesis, we found that phytochrome inactivation by FR caused a strong reduction of plant sensitivity to jasmonates, which are key regulators of plant immunity. The effects of FR on jasmonate sensitivity were restricted to certain elements of the pathway. Supporting the idea that the FR effects on jasmonate signaling are functionally significant, we found that FR failed to increase tissue quality in jar1, a mutant impaired in jasmonate response. We conclude that the plant modulates its investment in defense as a function of the perceived risk of competition, and that this modulation is effected by phytochrome via selective desensitization to jasmonates.

Heat shock factors HsfB1 and HsfB2b are involved in the regulation of Pdf1.2 expression and pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis

In order to assess the functional roles of heat stress-induced class B-heat shock factors in Arabidopsis, we investigated T-DNA knockout mutants of AtHsfB1 and AtHsfB2b. Micorarray analysis of double knockout hsfB1/hsfB2b plants revealed as strong an up-regulation of the basal mRNA-levels of the defensin genes Pdf1.2a/b in mutant plants. The Pdf expression was further enhanced by jasmonic acid treatment or infection with the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola. The single mutant hsfB2b and the double mutant hsfB1/B2b were significantly improved in disease resistance after A. brassicicola infection. There was no indication for a direct interaction of Hsf with the promoter of Pdf1.2, which is devoid of perfect HSE consensus Hsf-binding sequences. However, changes in the formation of late HsfA2-dependent HSE binding were detected in hsfB1/B2b plants. This suggests that HsfB1/B2b may interact with class A-Hsf in regulating the shut-off of the heat shock response. The identification of Pdf genes as targets of Hsf-dependent negative regulation is the first evidence for an interconnection of Hsf in the regulation of biotic and abiotic responses.

An in silico strategy identified the target gene candidates regulated by dehydration responsive element binding proteins (DREBs) in Arabidopsis genome

Identification of downstream target genes of stress-relating transcription factors (TFs) is desirable in understanding cellular responses to various environmental stimuli. However, this has long been a difficult work for both experimental and computational practices. In this research, we presented a novel computational strategy which combined the analysis of the transcription factor binding site (TFBS) contexts and machine learning approach. Using this strategy, we conducted a genome-wide investigation into novel direct target genes of dehydration responsive element binding proteins (DREBs), the members of AP2-EREBPs transcription factor super family which is reported to be responsive to various abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis. The genome-wide searching yielded in total 474 target gene candidates. With reference to the microarray data for abiotic stresses-inducible gene expression profile, 268 target gene candidates out of the total 474 genes predicted, were induced during the 24-h exposure to abiotic stresses. This takes about 57% of total predicted targets. Furthermore, GO annotations revealed that these target genes are likely involved in protein amino acid phosphorylation, protein binding and Endomembrane sorting system. The results suggested that the predicted target gene candidates were adequate to meet the essential biological principle of stress-resistance in plants.

Characterization of OsbZIP23 as a key player of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor family for conferring abscisic acid sensitivity and salinity and drought tolerance in rice

OsbZIP23 is a member of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor family in rice (Oryza sativa). Expression of OsbZIP23 is strongly induced by a wide spectrum of stresses, including drought, salt, abscisic acid (ABA), and polyethylene glycol treatments, while other stress-responsive genes of this family are slightly induced only by one or two of the stresses. Transactivation assay in yeast demonstrated that OsbZIP23 functions as a transcriptional activator, and the sequences at the N terminus (amino acids 1-59) and a region close to the C terminus (amino acids 210-240) are required for the transactivation activity. Transient expression of OsbZIP23-green fluorescent protein in onion (Allium cepa) cells revealed a nuclear localization of the protein. Transgenic rice overexpressing OsbZIP23 showed significantly improved tolerance to drought and high-salinity stresses and sensitivity to ABA. On the other hand, a null mutant of this gene showed significantly decreased sensitivity to a high concentration of ABA and decreased tolerance to high-salinity and drought stress, and this phenotype can be complemented by transforming the OsbZIP23 back into the mutant. GeneChip and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that hundreds of genes were up- or down-regulated in the rice plants overexpressing OsbZIP23. More than half of these genes have been annotated or evidenced for their diverse functions in stress response or tolerance. In addition, more than 30 genes that are possible OsbZIP23-specific target genes were identified based on the comparison of the expression profiles in the overexpressor and the mutant of OsbZIP23. Collectively, these results indicate that OsbZIP23 functions as a transcriptional regulator that can regulate the expression of a wide spectrum of stress-related genes in response to abiotic stresses through an ABA-dependent regulation pathway. We propose that OsbZIP23 is a major player of the bZIP family in rice for conferring ABA-dependent drought and salinity tolerance and has high potential usefulness in genetic improvement of stress tolerance.

Isolation and characterization of an atypical LEA protein coding cDNA and its promoter from drought-tolerant plant Prosopis juliflora

Plant growth and productivity are adversely affected by various abiotic and biotic stress factors. Despite the wealth of information on abiotic stress and stress tolerance in plants, many aspects still remain unclear. Prosopis juliflora is a hardy plant reported to be tolerant to drought, salinity, extremes of soil pH, and heavy metal stress. In this paper, we report the isolation and characterization of the complementary DNA clone for an atypical late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein (Pj LEA3) and its putative promoter sequence from P. juliflora. Unlike typical LEA proteins, rich in glycine, Pj LEA3 has alanine as the most abundant amino acid followed by serine and shows an average negative hydropathy. Pj LEA3 is significantly different from other LEA proteins in the NCBI database and shows high similarity to indole-3 acetic-acid-induced protein ARG2 from Vigna radiata. Northern analysis for Pj LEA3 in P. juliflora leaves under 90 mM H2O2 stress revealed up-regulation of transcript at 24 and 48 h. A 1.5-kb fragment upstream the 5' UTR of this gene (putative promoter) was isolated and analyzed in silico. The possible reasons for changes in gene expression during stress in relation to the host plant's stress tolerance mechanisms are discussed.

The transcriptional activator Pti4 is required for the recruitment of a repressosome nucleated by repressor SEBF at the potato PR-10a gene

Transcriptional reprogramming is critical for plant disease resistance responses. In potato (Solanum tuberosum), the marker gene PATHOGENESIS-RELATED-10a (PR-10a) is transcriptionally activated by pathogens, wounding, or elicitor treatment. Activation of PR-10a requires the recruitment of the activator Why1 to its promoter. In addition, PR-10a is negatively regulated by the repressor SEBF (for Silencer Element Binding Factor). Here, we show through a yeast two-hybrid screen that SEBF interacts with Pti4, which has been shown to be a transcriptional activator. SEBF recruits Pti4 via its consensus sequence-type RNA binding domain, while Pti4 is recruited to SEBF by means of its ethylene-response factor domain. In vivo plant transcription assays confirmed that SEBF interacts with Pti4 to form a repressosome, showing that Pti4 can also play a role in transcriptional repression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that both SEBF and Pti4 are recruited to the PR-10a promoter in uninduced conditions only and that the recruitment of Pti4 is dependent on the presence of SEBF, consistent with the fact that there is no Pti4 consensus binding site in PR-10a. Unexpectedly, we also demonstrated that recruitment of SEBF was dependent on the presence of Pti4, thereby explaining why SEBF, itself a repressor, requires Pti4 for its repressing function.

Genome-wide comparative analysis of putative bidirectional promoters from rice, Arabidopsis and Populus

A bidirectional promoter can regulate the expression of two flanking genes arranged in a divergent manner. Although reports pertaining to bidirectional promoters on a genomic scale exist in mammals, little progress has been made in plants. In the present study, we performed a computational analysis of this unique class of promoters to identify overrepresented cis-regulatory motifs from three sequenced plant genomes: rice (Oryza sativa), Arabidopsis thaliana, and Populus trichocarpa using the Plant Cis-acting Regulatory DNA Elements (PLACE) and PLANT CARE databases. We describe these overrepresented elements and their possible regulatory mechanisms. We also discuss similarities and differences with human bidirectional promoters. Furthermore, we describe in detail a few coexpressed and evolutionarily conserved divergent gene pairs and their bidirectional promoters. This study provides insights into bidirectional promoters in three plant species, thereby laying a foundation for their experimental analysis.

Biotechnological potential of antimicrobial peptides from flowers

Flowers represent a relatively unexplored source of antimicrobial peptides of biotechnological potential. This review focuses on flower-derived defense peptide classes with inhibitory activity towards plant pathogens. Small cationic peptides display diverse activities, including inhibition of digestive enzymes and bacterial and/or fungal inhibition. Considerable research is ongoing in this area, with natural crop plant defense potentially improved through the application of transgenic technologies. In this report, comparisons were made of peptide tertiary structures isolated from diverse flower species. A summary is provided of molecular interactions between flower peptides and pathogens, which include the role of membrane proteins and lipids. Research on these peptides is contributing to our understanding of pathogen resistance mechanisms, which will, given the perspectives for plant genetic modification, contribute long term to plant genetic improvement for increased resistance to diverse pathogens.

Regulation of expression of rice thaumatin-like protein: inducibility by elicitor requires promoter W-box elements

Rice thaumatin-like protein (Rtlp1) is a high-molecular-weight antimicrobial pathogenesis-related protein that plays a role in plant stress response. This study examines transcriptional regulation of Rtlp1 using wild type and transgenic rice plants carrying a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by the Rtlp1 promoter (pRtlp1GUS). The Rtlp1 promoter is induced within 6 h after infection with rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe grisea). The Rtlp1 promoter is also induced by salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), wounding or an elicitor from rice blast fungus. The function of the pRtlp1GUS reporter gene was analyzed by deletion mapping and transient expression assays in cell culture. A 120 bp truncated fusion construct with six W-boxes (5'-TGAC-3') demonstrated a strong dose-dependent elicitor-response. These results suggest that W-box elements are required for the response of the Rtlp1 promoter to fungal elicitors.

Comparative analysis of divergent and convergent gene pairs and their expression patterns in rice, Arabidopsis, and populus

Comparative analysis of the organization and expression patterns of divergent and convergent gene pairs in multiple plant genomes can identify patterns that are shared by more than one species or are unique to a particular species. Here, we study the coexpression and interspecies conservation of divergent and convergent gene pairs in three plant species: rice (Oryza sativa), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), and black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa). Strongly correlated expression levels between divergent and convergent genes were found to be quite common in all three species, and the frequency of strong correlation appears to be independent of intergenic distance. Conservation of divergent or convergent arrangement among these species appears to be quite rare. However, conserved arrangement is significantly more frequent when the genes display strongly correlated expression levels or have one or more Gene Ontology (GO) classes in common. A correlation between intergenic distance in divergent and convergent gene pairs and shared GO classes was observed, in varying degrees, in rice and Populus but not in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, multiple GO classes were either overrepresented or underrepresented in Arabidopsis and Populus gene pairs, while only two GO classes were underrepresented in rice divergent gene pairs. Three cis-regulatory elements common to both Arabidopsis and rice were overrepresented in the intergenic regions of strongly correlated divergent gene pairs compared to those of noncorrelated pairs. Our results suggest that shared as well as unique mechanisms operate in shaping the organization and function of divergent and convergent gene pairs in different plant species.

The AP2/ERF domain transcription factor ORA59 integrates jasmonic acid and ethylene signals in plant defense

Plant defense against pathogens depends on the action of several endogenously produced hormones, including jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene. In certain defense responses, JA and ethylene signaling pathways synergize to activate a specific set of defense genes. Here, we describe the role of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) domain transcription factor ORA59 in JA and ethylene signaling and in defense. JA- and ethylene-responsive expression of several defense genes, including PLANT DEFENSIN1.2 (PDF1.2), depended on ORA59. As a result, overexpression of ORA59 caused increased resistance against the fungus Botrytis cinerea, whereas ORA59-silenced plants were more susceptible. Several AP2/ERF domain transcription factors have been suggested to be positive regulators of PDF1.2 gene expression based on overexpression in stably transformed plants. Using two different transient overexpression approaches, we found that only ORA59 and ERF1 were able to activate PDF1.2 gene expression, in contrast to the related proteins AtERF1 and AtERF2. Our results demonstrate that ORA59 is an essential integrator of the JA and ethylene signal transduction pathways and thereby provide new insight into the nature of the molecular components involved in the cross talk between these two hormones.

Pathogen Phytosensing: Plants to Report Plant Pathogens

Real-time systems that provide evidence of pathogen contamination in crops can be an important new line of early defense in agricultural centers. Plants possess defense mechanisms to protect against pathogen attack. Inducible plant defense is controlled by signal transduction pathways, inducible promoters and cis-regulatory elements corresponding to key genes involved in defense, and pathogen-specific responses. Identified inducible promoters and cis-acting elements could be utilized in plant sentinels, or ‘phytosensors’, by fusing these to reporter genes to produce plants with altered phenotypes in response to the presence of pathogens. Here, we have employed cis-acting elements from promoter regions of pathogen inducible genes as well as those responsive to the plant defense signal molecules salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene. Synthetic promoters were constructed by combining various regulatory elements supplemented with the enhancer elements from the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter to increase basal level of the GUS expression. The inducibility of each synthetic promoter was first assessed in transient expression assays using Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts and then examined for efficacy in stably transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. Histochemical and fluorometric GUS expression analyses showed that both transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants responded to elicitor and phytohormone treatments with increased GUS expression when compared to untreated plants. Pathogen-inducible phytosensor studies were initiated by analyzing the sensitivity of the synthetic promoters against virus infection. Transgenic tobacco plants infected with Alfalfa mosaic virus showed an increase in GUS expression when compared to mock-inoculated control plants, whereas Tobacco mosaic virus infection caused no changes in GUS expression. Further research, using these transgenic plants against a range of different pathogens with the regulation of detectable reporter gene could provide biological evidence to define the functional differences between pathogens, and provide new technology and applications for transgenic plants as phytosensors.

Analysis of the essential DNA region for OsEBP-89 promoter in response to methyl jasmonic acid

In rice, the characterization of OsEBP-89 is inducible by various stress-or hormone-stimuli, including ethylene, abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonate acid (JA), drought and cold. Here, we report the investigation of essential DNA region within OsEBP-89 promoter for methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) induction. PLACE analysis indicates that this promoter sequence contains multiple potential elements in response to various stimuli. First, we fused this promoter with GUS gene and analyzed its expression under MeJA treatment through Agrobacterium infiltration mediating transient expression in tobacco leaves. Our results revealed that this chimeric gene could be inducible by MeJA in tobacco leaves. To further determine the crucial sequences responsible for MeJA induction, we generated a series of deletion promoters which were fused with GUS reporter gene respectively. The results of transient expression of GUS gene driven by these mutant promoters show that the essential region for MeJA induction is positioned in the region between -1200 and -800 in OsEBP-89 promoter containing a G-box (-1127), which is distinct from the essential region containing ERE (-562) for ACC induction. In all, our finding is helpful in understanding the molecular mechanism of OsEBP-89 expression under different stimuli.

AP2-ERF transcription factors mediate Nod factor dependent Mt ENOD11 activation in root hairs via a novel cis-regulatory motif

Rhizobium Nod factors (NFs) are specific lipochitooligosaccharides that activate host legume signaling pathways essential for initiating the nitrogen-fixing symbiotic association. This study describes the characterization of cis-regulatory elements and trans-interacting factors that regulate NF-dependent and epidermis-specific gene transcription in Medicago truncatula. Detailed analysis of the Mt ENOD11 promoter using deletion, mutation, and gain-of-function constructs has led to the identification of an NF-responsive regulatory unit (the NF box) sufficient to direct NF-elicited expression in root hairs. NF box-mediated expression requires a major GCC-like motif, which is also essential for the binding of root hair-specific nuclear factors. Yeast one-hybrid screening has identified three closely related AP2/ERF transcription factors (ERN1 to ERN3) that are able to bind specifically to the NF box. ERN1 is identical to an ERF-like factor identified recently. Expression analysis has revealed that ERN1 and ERN2 genes are upregulated in root hairs following NF treatment and that this activation requires a functional NFP gene. Transient expression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana have further shown that nucleus-targeted ERN1 and ERN2 factors activate NF box-containing reporters, whereas ERN3 represses ERN1/ERN2-dependent transcription activation. A model is proposed for the fine-tuning of NF-elicited gene transcription in root hairs involving the interplay between repressor and activator ERN factors.

Functional analysis of a NAC-type transcription factor OsNAC6 involved in abiotic and biotic stress-responsive gene expression in rice

The OsNAC6 gene is a member of the NAC transcription factor gene family in rice. Expression of OsNAC6 is induced by abiotic stresses, including cold, drought and high salinity. OsNAC6 gene expression is also induced by wounding and blast disease. A transactivation assay using a yeast system demonstrated that OsNAC6 functions as a transcriptional activator, and transient localization studies with OsNAC6-sGFP fusion protein revealed its nuclear localization. Transgenic rice plants over-expressing OsNAC6 constitutively exhibited growth retardation and low reproductive yields. These transgenic rice plants showed an improved tolerance to dehydration and high-salt stresses, and also exhibited increased tolerance to blast disease. By utilizing stress-inducible promoters, such as the OsNAC6 promoter, it is hoped that stress-inducible over-expression of OsNAC6 in rice can improve stress tolerance by suppressing the negative effects of OsNAC6 on growth under normal growth conditions. The results of microarray analysis revealed that many genes that are inducible by abiotic and biotic stresses were upregulated in rice plants over-expressing OsNAC6. A transient transactivation assay showed that OsNAC6 activates the expression of at least two genes, including a gene encoding peroxidase. Collectively, these results indicate that OsNAC6 functions as a transcriptional activator in response to abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. We conclude that OsNAC6 may serve as a useful biotechnological tool for the improvement of stress tolerance in various kinds of plants.

Genome-wide gene expression profiling reveals conserved and novel molecular functions of the stigma in rice

In angiosperms, the stigma provides initial nutrients and guidance cues for pollen grain germination and tube growth. However, little is known about the genes that regulate these processes in rice (Oryza sativa). Here, we generate rice stigma-specific or -preferential gene expression profiles through comparing genome-wide expression patterns of hand-dissected, unpollinated stigma at anthesis with seven tissues, including seedling shoot, seedling root, mature anther, ovary at anthesis, seeds 5 d after pollination, 10-d-old embryo, 10-d-old endosperm, and suspension-cultured cells by using both 57 K Affymetrix rice whole-genome array and 10 K rice cDNA microarray. A high reproducibility of the microarray results was detected between the two different technology platforms. In total, we identified 548 genes to be expressed specifically or predominantly in the stigma papillar cells of rice. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of 34 selected genes all confirmed their stigma-specific expression. The expression of five selected genes was further validated by RNA in situ hybridization. Gene Ontology analysis shows that several auxin-signaling components, transcription, and stress-related genes are significantly overrepresented in the rice stigma gene set. Interestingly, most of them also share several cis-regulatory elements with known stress-responsive genes, supporting the notion of an overlap of genetic programs regulating pollination and stress/defense responses. We also found that genes involved in cell wall metabolism and cellular communication appear to be conserved in the stigma between rice and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Our results indicate that the stigmas appear to have conserved and novel molecular functions between rice and Arabidopsis.

MYC2 differentially modulates diverse jasmonate-dependent functions in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis thaliana basic helix-loop-helix Leu zipper transcription factor (TF) MYC2/JIN1 differentially regulates jasmonate (JA)-responsive pathogen defense (e.g., PDF1.2) and wound response (e.g., VSP) genes. In this study, genome-wide transcriptional profiling of wild type and mutant myc2/jin1 plants followed by functional analyses has revealed new roles for MYC2 in the modulation of diverse JA functions. We found that MYC2 negatively regulates Trp and Trp-derived secondary metabolism such as indole glucosinolate biosynthesis during JA signaling. Furthermore, MYC2 positively regulates JA-mediated resistance to insect pests, such as Helicoverpa armigera, and tolerance to oxidative stress, possibly via enhanced ascorbate redox cycling and flavonoid biosynthesis. Analyses of MYC2 cis binding elements and expression of MYC2-regulated genes in T-DNA insertion lines of a subset of MYC2-regulated TFs suggested that MYC2 might modulate JA responses via differential regulation of an intermediate spectrum of TFs with activating or repressing roles in JA signaling. MYC2 also negatively regulates its own expression, and this may be one of the mechanisms used in fine-tuning JA signaling. Overall, these results provide new insights into the function of MYC2 and the transcriptional coordination of the JA signaling pathway.

Identification of a bipartite jasmonate-responsive promoter element in the Catharanthus roseus ORCA3 transcription factor gene that interacts specifically with AT-Hook DNA-binding proteins

Jasmonates are plant signaling molecules that play key roles in defense against certain pathogens and insects, among others, by controlling the biosynthesis of protective secondary metabolites. In Catharanthus roseus, the APETALA2-domain transcription factor ORCA3 is involved in the jasmonate-responsive activation of terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthetic genes. ORCA3 gene expression is itself induced by jasmonate. By loss- and gain-of-function experiments, we located a 74-bp region within the ORCA3 promoter, which contains an autonomous jasmonate-responsive element (JRE). The ORCA3 JRE is composed of two important sequences: a quantitative sequence responsible for a high level of expression and a qualitative sequence that appears to act as an on/off switch in response to methyl jasmonate. We isolated 12 different DNA-binding proteins having one of four different types of DNA-binding domains, using the ORCA3 JRE as bait in a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) one-hybrid transcription factor screening. The binding of one class of proteins bearing a single AT-hook DNA-binding motif was affected by mutations in the quantitative sequence within the JRE. Two of the AT-hook proteins tested had a weak activating effect on JRE-mediated reporter gene expression, suggesting that AT-hook family members may be involved in determining the level of expression of ORCA3 in response to jasmonate.

Identification of a novel gene (Hsdr4) involved in water-stress tolerance in wild barley

Drought is one of the most severe stresses limiting plant growth and yield. Genes involved in water stress tolerance of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneoum), the progenitor of cultivated barley, were investigated using genotypes contrasting in their response to water stress. Gene expression profiles of water-stress tolerant vs. water-stress sensitive wild barley genotypes, under severe dehydration stress applied at the seedling stage, were compared using cDNA-AFLP analysis. Of the 1100 transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) amplified about 70 displayed differential expression between control and stress conditions. Eleven of them showed clear difference (up- or down-regulation) between tolerant and susceptible genotypes. These TDFs were isolated, sequenced and tested by RT-PCR. The differential expression of seven TDFs was confirmed by RT-PCR, and TDF-4 was selected as a promising candidate gene for water-stress tolerance. The corresponding gene, designated Hsdr4 (Hordeum spontaneum dehydration-responsive), was sequenced and the transcribed and flanking regions were determined. The deduced amino acid sequence has similarity to the rice Rho-GTPase-activating protein-like with a Sec14 p-like lipid-binding domain. Analysis of Hsdr4 promoter region that was isolated by screening a barley BAC library, revealed a new putative miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE), and several potential stress-related binding sites for transcription factors (MYC, MYB, LTRE, and GT-1), suggesting a role of the Hsdr4 gene in plant tolerance to dehydration stress. Furthermore, the Hsdr4 gene was mapped using wild barley mapping population to the long arm of chromosome 3H between markers EBmac541 and EBmag705, within a region that previously was shown to affect osmotic adaptation in barley.

G-boxes, bigfoot genes, and environmental response: characterization of intragenomic conserved noncoding sequences in Arabidopsis

A tetraploidy left Arabidopsis thaliana with 6358 pairs of homoeologs that, when aligned, generated 14,944 intragenomic conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs). Our previous work assembled these phylogenetic footprints into a database. We show that known transcription factor (TF) binding motifs, including the G-box, are overrepresented in these CNSs. A total of 254 genes spanning long lengths of CNS-rich chromosomes (Bigfoot) dominate this database. Therefore, we made subdatabases: one containing Bigfoot genes and the other containing genes with three to five CNSs (Smallfoot). Bigfoot genes are generally TFs that respond to signals, with their modal CNS positioned 3.1 kb 5' from the ATG. Smallfoot genes encode components of signal transduction machinery, the cytoskeleton, or involve transcription. We queried each subdatabase with each possible 7-nucleotide sequence. Among hundreds of hits, most were purified from CNSs, and almost all of those significantly enriched in CNSs had no experimental history. The 7-mers in CNSs are not 5'- to 3'-oriented in Bigfoot genes but are often oriented in Smallfoot genes. CNSs with one G-box tend to have two G-boxes. CNSs were shared with the homoeolog only and with no other gene, suggesting that binding site turnover impedes detection. Bigfoot genes may function in adaptation to environmental change.

Cloning, characterization, and transformation of the phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene (ZmPEAMT1) in maize (Zea mays L.)

N-methylation of phosphoethanolamine, the committing step in choline (Cho) biosynthesis in plants, is catalyzed by S-adenosyl-L-methionine: phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEAMT, EC 2.1.1.103). Herein we report the cloning and characterization of the novel maize phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene (ZmPEAMT1) using a combination of bioinformatics and a PCR-based allele mining strategy. The cDNA sequence of ZmPEAMT1 gene is 1,806 bp in length and translates a 495 amino acids peptide. The upstream promoter sequence of ZmPEAMT1 were obtained by TAIL-PCR, and contained four kinds of putative cis-acting regulatory elements, including stress-responsive elements, phytohormone-responsive elements, pollen developmental special activation elements, and light-induced signal transduction elements, as well as several other structural features in common with the promoter of rice and Arabidopsis homologies. RT-PCR analysis showed that expression of ZmPEAMT1 was induced by salt stress and suppressed by high temperature. Over-expression of ZmPEAMT1 enhanced the salt tolerance, root length, and silique number in transgenic Arabidopsis. These data indicated that ZmPEAMT1 maybe involved in maize root development and stress resistance, and maybe having a potential application in maize genetic engineering.

Promoter analysis of the Catharanthus roseus geraniol 10-hydroxylase gene involved in terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis

Geraniol 10-hydroxylase (G10H) is an important enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of monoterpenoid alkaloids found in diverse plant species. The Catharanthus roseus G10H controls the first committed step in biosynthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIA). The C. roseus G10H promoter sequence was isolated by a PCR-based genome walking method. Sequence analysis revealed that the G10H promoter contains several potential eukaryotic regulatory elements involved in regulation of gene expression. The major transcription start site of the promoter was mapped to an adenine 31 bp downstream of the TATA-box. For functional characterization, transcriptional fusions between the G10H promoter fragments with 5' or 3' deletions and the GUS reporter gene were generated and their expressions were analyzed in a tobacco protoplast transient expression assay. Deletion of the promoter down to -318 bp had little effect on GUS activity. However, further deletion of the promoter to position -103 resulted in approximately 5-fold reduction of GUS activity. Gain-of-function experiments revealed the presence of three potential transcriptional enhancers located in regions between -191 and -147, -266 and -188, and -318 and -266, respectively. The G10H promoter was capable of conferring stable GUS expression in transgenic tobacco plants and C. roseus hairy roots. In transgenic tobacco seedlings GUS expression was tissue-specific, restricted to leaf and actively growing cells around the root tip, and not detected in the hypocotyls, root cap and older developing areas of the root. The GUS expression in both transgenic C. roseus hairy roots and tobacco seedlings were responsive to fungal elicitor and methyljasmonate. Compared to other known promoters of TIA pathway genes, the G10H promoter contains unique binding sites for several transcription factors, suggesting that the G10H promoter may be regulated by a different transcriptional cascade.

GmEREBP1 is a transcription factor activating defense genes in soybean and Arabidopsis

Ethylene-responsive element-binding proteins (EREBPs) are plant-specific transcription factors, many of which have been linked to plant defense responses. Conserved EREBP domains bind to the GCC box, a promoter element found in pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. We previously identified an EREBP gene from soybean (GmEREBP1) whose transcript abundance decreased in soybean cyst-nematode-infected roots of a susceptible cultivar, whereas it increased in abundance in infected roots of a resistant cultivar. Here, we report further characterization of this gene. Transient expression analyses showed that GmEREBP1 is localized to the plant nucleus and functions as a transcriptional activator in soybean leaves. Transgenic soybean plants expressing GmEREBP1 activated the expression of the ethylene (ET)-responsive gene PR2 and the ET- and jasmonic acid (JA)-responsive gene PR3, and the salicylic acid (SA)-responsive gene PR1 but not the SA-responsive PR5. Similarly, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing GmEREBP1 showed elevated mRNA abundance of the ET-regulated gene PR3 and the ET- and JA-regulated defense-related gene PDF1.2 but not the ET-regulated GST2, and the SA-regulated gene PR1 but not the SA-regulated PR2 and PR5. Transgenic soybean and Arabidopsis plants inoculated with cyst nematodes did not display a significantly altered susceptibility to nematode infection. These results collectively show that GmEREBP1 functions as a transacting inducer of defense gene expression in both soybean and Arabidopsis and mediates the expression of both ET- and JA- and SA-regulated defense-related genes in these plant species.

Abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis overexpressing the multiprotein bridging factor 1a (MBF1a) transcriptional coactivator gene

We conducted a genetic yeast screen to identify salt tolerance (SAT) genes in a maize kernel cDNA library. During the screening, we identified a maize clone (SAT41) that seemed to confer elevated salt tolerance in comparison to control cells. SAT41 cDNA encodes a 16-kDa protein which is 82.4% identical to the Arabidopsis Multiprotein bridging factor 1a (MBF1a) transcriptional coactivator gene. To further examine salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis, we functionally characterized the MBF1a gene and found that dehydration as well as heightened glucose (Glc) induced MBF1a expression. Constitutive expression of MBF1a in Arabidopsis led to elevated salt tolerance in transgenic lines. Interestingly, plants overexpressing MBF1a exhibited insensitivity to Glc and resistance to fungal disease. Our results suggest that MBF1a is involved in stress tolerance as well as in ethylene and Glc signaling in Arabidopsis.

Molecular and functional analysis of new members of the wheat PR4 gene family

Five new genes belonging to the pathogenesis-related (PR) 4 family have been cloned and characterised in Triticum aestivum. Two full-length genes, named wPR4e and wPR4f-b, were isolated by library screening, demonstrating the presence of a small intron only in wPR4f-b. Two other PR4 genes (wPR4f-a and wPR4f-c) were isolated by PCR, showing very high sequence identity with wPR4f-b and constituting a new sub-family. Transcription start analysis was performed by RLM-RACE, leading to the isolation of a fifth gene, named wPR4g, that is highly homologous to wPR4e; both encode putative vacuolar PR4 proteins (Wheatwin7 and Wheatwin5, respectively). wPR4e and wPR4f sub-family genes are induced by F. culmorum infection, by chemicals that lead to systemic acquired resistance and by wounding, showing different spatial and temporal induction pathways. In silico analysis of the 5' untranslated regions of wPR4e and wPR4f-b revealed the presence of several abiotic and biotic stress-responsive elements. wPR4e and wPR4f-b putative promoters were fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, and transient and stable expression assays demonstrated that both are able to drive expression of GUS. Characterisation of these new PR4 genes and particularly of their 5' untranslated regions, as well as the determination of their expression patterns, will contribute to our understanding of the responsiveness of this gene family to various stress conditions and of its role in plant defence.

Sl-ERF2, a tomato ethylene response factor involved in ethylene response and seed germination

Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are plant transcriptional regulators mediating ethylene-dependent gene expression via binding to the GCC motif found in the promoter region of ethylene-regulated genes. We report here on the structural and functional characterization of the tomato Sl-ERF2 gene that belongs to a distinct class of the large ERF gene family. Both spliced and unspliced versions of Sl-ERF2 transcripts were amplified from RNA samples and the search in the public tomato expressed sequence tag (EST) database confirmed the existence of the two transcript species in a number of cDNA libraries. The unspliced transcript contains two open reading frames yielding two hypothetical proteins, a small highly truncated version lacking the APETALA2 domain and a bigger protein lacking the N-terminal MCGGAAI(I)/(L) consensus peptide specific to ERF members from subfamily IV. Nevertheless, functional Sl-ERF2 protein may only derive from spliced transcripts since, depending on the tissue, the level of the spliced transcript is much higher than that of the unspliced transcript. Sl-ERF2 is expressed in all plant tissues tested, though its transcript accumulates preferentially in germinating seeds and ripening fruit. Overexpression of the Sl-ERF2 gene in transgenic tomato lines results in premature seed germination and enhanced hook formation of dark-grown seedlings, which is indicative of increased ethylene sensitivity. The expression of the mannanase2 gene is upregulated in Sl-ERF2-overexpressing seeds, suggesting that Sl-ERF2 stimulates seed germination through the induction of the mannanase2 gene. It is noteworthy that the exaggerated hook phenotype is abolished when ethylene perception is blocked, strongly suggesting that Sl-ERF2 requires other ethylene-dependent components to impact the hook formation process.